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Allegations, fact or fiction?

A number of allegations have emerged surrounding the case of Babar Ahmad. Some of those allegations, which have been stated in open court, are therefore in the public domain and can be discussed.

Allegation 1:

It is alleged in the affidavit (arrest warrant from the US) that Babar Ahmad had email contact with a US Naval Serviceman on board the USS Benfold (US Naval ship). The dates stated in the affidavit on which he was alleged to have had email contact are 19 July 2001 and 24 July 2001.

The 19 July 2001 was in fact the day of his wedding. The 24 July 2001, in fact coincides with when he was on honeymoon on a remote tropical island, which had not Internet facilities for its guests at the time.

Allegation 2:

It is alleged in the affidavit that a tourist brochure about the Empire State Building was found in his possession. Various media groups reported this on the day of his hearing on 07 October 2004.

(Links to some news reports are:
http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/239684p-205577c.html and
http://www.cnn.com/2004/LAW/10/06/terror.indictment/)

The tourist brochure in fact belongs to Babar's father, Ashfaq Ahmad, and was obtained by him when he visited the Empire State Building in 1973. His father even has photographs of himself standing on the building and still has the passport with the visa stamp for the US in his possession.

Allegation 3:

On Babar Ahmad's first hearing on 07 August 2004, it was alleged by the prosecution that he travelled on a forged passport earlier on in the year. He did in fact travel on his genuine passport and has the relevant entry/exit stamps present in it.

At the same hearing it was also alleged that he had sold his house and that he had resigned from his job at Imperial College, London. He had in fact not sold his house, but him and his wife had thought about selling the house due to the bad memories they both had from it. It was in that house that Babar was initially arrested and assaulted by Anti-terrorist Police officers, in the bedroom infront of his wife, on 02 December 2003.

Babar was still in employment when he was re-arrested on 05 August 2004, and had in fact taken back his resignation. The reason for the initial resignation was due to the trauma that he continues to suffer from, due to the arrest back in December 2003. The trauma was such that it had affected his work and personal life.